EU relations make Greek bet a risky one

GREEK FOREIGN Minister Nikos Kotzias took his government's claim for World War II reparations directly to Germany on Tuesday, receiving a clear rebuke from Berlin. The country's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had already called for such reparations earlier. Comments:

Tsipras, in believing that the eurozone cannot afford to lose Greece, is actually placing a very dangerous bet given the fragile relations Greece has with some of Europe's most powerful countries. Should all members of the European Union realize that their expenses on getting Greece out of economic crisis outrun the original value that the country can offer, they might as well cut loose the financial "dead weight".

Tao Duanfang, a columnist based in Canada, Feb 11

By giving up its previous request for debt reduction, Athens has indicated that it realizes it can neither fall out with and nor afford to quit the European Union. Suggesting Greece might leave the EU is more like a part of Tsipras' campaign strategy rather than a wise choice, considering the foreseeable high cost Greece might have to pay. Whichever plan the country eventually adopts, how to lower its debt burden is a major problem it has to face.

Xiong Aizong, an assistant research fellow at the Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Feb 10